Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood announced the additional funds in a letter to Mayor Mark Mallory this week.

"I hope that this offer of additional assistance serves to encourage you and the city of Cincinnati's leadership as you work together to take action to ensure that the project is completed in a safe and timely manner," LaHood wrote.

The letter states that the project must meet four conditions to get the money, which include:

Construct the full scope of the project, including length, number of stations and station shelters.

Restore a data acquisition and passenger information system that was cut previously.

Restore funding for a wall to block view of power substations

Identify funding to cover the current $17.4 million gap

LaHood wrote that the federal government will not be able to provide any further discretionary funds for the project. Nearly $30 million in federal funds previously approved have been "deobligated," LaHood noted.

Cincinnati City Council is expected to vote on plans to fill that $17M gap on Monday.